A mother-of-one who allegedly had all the items required for a “meth lab” in her Killarney home when gardaí searched it on Thursday was denied bail at Cork District Court on Saturday.
Anna Entrambasaguas (43) was charged with possession for sale and supply of crystal meth and with possession of forged or stolen driving licences.
Ms Entrambasaguas, of Apartment 2, Knocknasartnett, Killarney, Co Kerry, was charged with seven offences.
Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given by Garda Ger O’Sullivan.
Garda O’Sullivan said he charged the defendant shortly before 8.30pm on Friday at Killarney Garda Station. Ms Entrambasaguas made no reply when the charges were put to her under caution.
Garda O’Sullivan objected to bail arising out of the nature and seriousness of the alleged offences. He said that that around €500 of crystal meth was seized from the property. Forensic Science Ireland has already confirmed that the substance is crystal meth.
Garda O’Sullivan told Judge Joanne Carroll that there was “substantial evidence” that crystal meth was being produced at the property.
“We did discover the ingredients for a meth lab boxed together. Like it has been used or for future use. Boxed together like a kit.”
He stated that two forged Czech driving licences were found at the property. The picture of the defendant was on both, but they bore different names. Two other stolen driving licences were also recovered from the property.
He expressed the belief that the 43-year-old would commit further offences if released on bail. He stated that the defendant was a “heavy meth user addicted to controlled drugs.”
Garda O’Sullivan said Ms Entrambasaguas was “heavily involved in the production of meth.”
He stated that the defendant was capable of producing high quality identification and alleged that she “uses different aliases to hide her identity.”
“She has no regard to the production and use of identification documents.”
He expressed concern that Ms Entrambasaguas would flee the jurisdiction in the event of her being granted bail given her “transient” lifestyle.
“She is in Ireland for 20 years but has no ties. She has the capability to hide her true identity.”
Garda O’Sullivan added that more serious charges were expected in the case.
Defence solicitor, Brendan Aherne, acknowledged that the matter was serious.
He said that his client would face considerable difficulty in prison.
“She would be in custody for a long time awaiting trial.”
He stated that his client was willing to abide by the most stringent of bail conditions set down by the court. He added that it could take “months and months” for the drugs to be analysed.
Garda O’Sulliven confirmed to Mr Aherne that “more items [taken from the apartment] needed to be analysed.”
Ms Entrambasaguas is charged that, on October 31st, she had in her possession at her home crystal meth for sale or supply.
She was also charged with possession of stolen property to wit the driving licence of another woman knowing that the property was stolen or reckless as to whether it was.
She was also charged at the same property with having in her possession the driving licence of a second woman knowing that the property was stolen or being reckless as to whether it was stolen.
The fourth charge at the same address was that the defendant had a machine which had been specially designed “for the making of an instrument with the intention that it would be used in the making of a false instrument and that the instrument would be used to induce another person to accept it as genuine.”
The fifth charge was that Ms Entrambasaguas did, without lawful authority, have in her custody a forged Czech Republic driving licence in the name of a third woman which she knew to be a false instrument.
The sixth charge states that she had in her possession a forged Czech Republic driving licence in the name of a fourth woman.
The seventh charge involves Ms Entrambasaguas allegedly having crystal meth in her possession.
Judge Carroll refused bail in the case. She remanded Ms Entrambasaguas in custody to appear before Tralee District Court on November 6th.
Free legal aid was granted as the defendant is in receipt of disability allowance.
